"The longer he talked of his honour, the harder we counted the spoons..."?

Question

What does this mean? And where might it have came from?

Answer 1

It is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is related to honor.

See what allowance vice finds in the respectable and well-conditioned class. If a pickpocket intrude into the society of gentlemen, they exert what moral force they have, and he finds himself uncomfortable, and glad to get away. But if an adventurer go through all the forms, procure himself to be elected to a post of trust, as of senator, or president, — though by the same arts as we detest in the house-thief, — the same gentlemen who agree to discountenance the private rogue, will be forward to show civilities and marks of respect to the public one: and no amount of evidence of his crimes will prevent them giving him ovations, complimentary dinners, opening their own houses to him, and priding themselves on his acquaintance. We were not deceived by the professions of the private adventurer, — the louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons; but we appeal to the sanctified preamble of the messages and proclamations of the public sinner, as the proof of sincerity. It must be that they who pay this homage have said to themselves, On the whole, we don't know about this that you call honesty; a bird in the hand is better.

Answer 2

The spoons were probably made of silver and therefore worth stealing. Because the more he talked, the less they trusted him.

Answer 3

undoubtedly -- as in expression "methinks he protests too much" (Shakespeare) if someone talks too much how 'honorable' he is, quite suspicious -- so others busy counting cutlery to check if he stole any! (When someone IS genuinely honest, he doesn't have to say anything -- "By their fruits you will know them" and all that) -- you catch the drift.
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